Tuesday, November 22, 2016

You can get blank dice and little label stickers from educational supply stores to make your own dice. But making the same dice that are commercially available is probably pretty pointless an alternative is of course to make your own.

D3: Most obvious of all is the 1d3 that’s 1 to 3. Just label 2 faces with 1, 2 faces with 2 and 2 faces with 3 and you’ve got a d3 that requires no division during play, it’s easy to read and roll too.

H3: This is a High rolling d3, it will generate 1 to 3 but usually a 3. Label 1 face H1, 2 faces H2 and 3 faces H3. The H is so no one rolls tis dice by accident. It’s to generate a weighted result that still falls inside the range of 1 to 3.

L3: This sis a low rolling d3, it will generate 1 to 3 but usyally a 1. Label 3 faces L1, 2 faces L2, and 1 face L3. The L (as H above is to keep people from rolling the wrong dice).

Now wait a minute, what good would a L3 or H3 be? For weighted results (I said that above right). One use is damage by punching and kicking in OSR style games. . L3 for barehand, d3 for gauntlet or kicking with a shod foot, H3 for Cestus.

Monday, November 14, 2016

As a related part of the Simian Savanna I want to make some paper miniatures for the various sorts of apes and mutants. I'd like to produce a few pdfs of the paper minis and offer them for sale (inexpensive or PWYW) on drivethruRPG but i'm not too sure about the trade dress issues. The sample fellow here is pretty classical and maybe the straight classical look will be freebies distributed differently from the main line. I imagine soldier apes dressed a bit more like Napoleon wars era might give it a unique and tradedress free look.

For now the classical gorilla soldier:

Click for full size which is 150 DPI and would be about 2 inches tall if printed at 100%.

Good idea, bad idea? Want to see the Napoleonic look or is that bonkers? Maybe WW2 style?

Monday, November 7, 2016

A while back I made two posts for the Simian Savanna an rpg setting for campaign where apes have taken over a world ruined by the madness of mankind and his technology. With the release of Apes Victorious I'm working on adapting and completing those original materials to that rule set.

Here as preview and reference is my encounter list before incorporating entries from Apes Victorious. Working on a stat-list for each entry for each terrain type.

I'm straying a bit from classical apes orthodoxy with this stuff by lumping in a bunch of sci-fi stuff from the 60's and 70's sci-fi literature, comics, film and tv. The Simian Savanna will have a broader scope where the Apes are competing with other species beyond the remnants of man who are second-class citizens (at best) and not entirely apart from the Ape society just yet. The Simian Savanna is a bit more like the Apes TV series and Marvel Apes comic "Terror" story-lines with some Omega-Man, Kamandi and Hercules Unbound thrown in.

Thursday, November 3, 2016

The Owlbear is an iconic monster of fantasy RPG. The beast mixes the body of a bear with the features of an owl making it strange creature indeed but a creature with a strangeness that is not expanded upon to enhance it's value it play. Here with stats provided as per swords and wizardry are some variant Owlbears to add to a campaign and make Owlbears more interesting and deadly. The varieties need not all be present in the campaign and one may serve well as the default standard for Owlbears to beef up the reputation of this iconic monster as appropriate for the campaign.

Shrieking Owlbear
Shrieking Owlbears have the body of a bear, but a beak and facial features of an owl. The shrieking owl bear pounces from hiding with a startling shriek that will paralyze all that hear it within 30’ (that fail to save vs paralysis if not immune to fear)for 2-5 rounds. On an attack roll of 18+ or any attack vs a paralyzed victim the shrieking owl bear grabs and mauls the victim for an additional 2d8 points of damage.

Bounding Owlbear
Bounding Owlbears are sleeker and quicker varieties of owl bear that can climb with uncanny ability often leaping on prey from unexpected perches. A Bounding Owl bear may leap or jump down as far as 40’ as part of a attack,or charge move. If a Bounding owl bear successfully strikes a man-sized or smaller victim while bounding the victim may be knocked prone and pinned beneath the Bounding owl bear until it leaves or is forced off, it is +4 to hit pinned victims.
On an attack roll of 18+ or any successful attack vs a pinned victim the bounding owl bear will maul it’s victim for an additional 2d8 points of damage.

Uncanny Owlbear
Uncanny Owlbears have the body of a bear, but a beak and eyes of an owl. If anyone is unlucky enough to meet the gaze of an uncanny owl bear they must save vs paralysis or be frozen in place for 10-60 minutes. On an attack roll of 18+ (natural roll), the owlbear grabs its victim and mauls it for an additional 2d8 points of damage. Uncanny Owlbears prefer to drag paralyzed victims back to their lair to dismember and dine on them in peace. Only a sick or controlled Uncanny Owlbear would attack more than one paralyzed victim unless it was defending it’s lair or young.

Witchlin Owlbear
Witchlin Owlbears appear much as their kin but they have a mysterious aura of power and magic about them. If a Withclin Owlbear saves vs a spell (or other targeted magic) the spell is reflected back at the caster due to the weird magical energies it is infused with (which also give it an improved save vs spells). On an attack roll of 18+ (natural roll), the owlbear grabs its victim and hugs it for an additional 2d8 points of damage.

Murmuring Owlbear
Murmuring Owlbears have the body of a bear and the facial feats of an Owl. The murmuring owl bear constantly murmurs and babbles causing fear and distraction in those near it, anyone within 60’ of a murmuring owlbear that isn’t silenced must save vs confusion or be unable to act meaningfully until the owlbear harms them directly or slays a companion. On an attack roll of 18+ (natural roll), the owlbear grabs its victim and mauls it for an additional 2d8 points of damage.

About Me

A RPG player who thinks he has something to share. Discovered wargaming at the age of 9 or so thanks to Avalon Hill. Started playing D&D in the later days of the 70's as one of those annoying kids and currently games with spouse, family and friends.